Apple Intelligence handles many requests on your device, but some requests use Apple’s Private Cloud Compute (PCC), and other features may contact web Search, Private Information Retrieval, or an enabled extension. The route depends on the feature and request; Apple does not publish a universal percentage of tasks handled locally versus in the cloud.
What stays on your device
Apple says that many Apple Intelligence models run locally, allowing a task to be completed without data leaving the device. Models can use personal context available on the device to tailor assistance—for example, information such as upcoming calendar events or frequently used apps. Those examples do not mean the information is routinely uploaded.
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Examples of on-device processing
- Priority Notifications: Apple identifies this as an example where an on-device model decides which notifications take priority.
- Personal context: Apple says Apple Intelligence can draw on information available across apps to make assistance more relevant. The specific information used depends on the request.
Apple’s overview is at Apple Intelligence & Privacy.
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When a request may go to Private Cloud Compute
If the device determines that a request needs more computational capacity than it can provide locally, it may send relevant information to PCC for processing. Apple’s 2024 technical description says PCC receives the prompt along with the desired model and inference parameters; that account should not be taken as a description of the exact payload for every feature.
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What Apple says happens to PCC data
Apple says PCC uses data only to fulfill the request, returns the result securely, and does not retain the request data after responding. Apple’s privacy disclosure states: “The data being processed in Private Cloud Compute is not stored or made accessible to Apple.” Apple’s security article describes encryption to validated PCC nodes, safeguards intended to prevent privileged access to data at runtime, and software transparency mechanisms. These are Apple’s stated design and operational claims, not independent verification.
For example, Apple describes Image Playground as a feature that may send an image description to PCC for a server-based model. Whether a request uses PCC depends on the feature and request; there is no published overall share of Apple Intelligence requests routed there. Apple’s technical account is Private Cloud Compute: A new frontier for AI privacy in the cloud.
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Other server-related paths
PCC is not the only way an Apple Intelligence feature may involve a server. Apple describes distinct paths with different purposes and data flows:
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| Path | What it does | What Apple says is involved |
|---|---|---|
| Private Cloud Compute | Runs a request on a server model when more computation is needed. | Apple says only information relevant to the request is sent; the request is processed to fulfill it and not retained afterward. |
| Web Search | Retrieves current information from the web. | Apple identifies Search as a separate server-related path; the privacy disclosure does not establish one universal payload for every search. |
| Private Information Retrieval | Fetches matching hosted data without revealing the private query to Apple, according to Apple. | Apple’s example is retrieving a pre-generated Genmoji or image using keywords from common phrases. |
| Enabled Apple Intelligence Extensions | Provides supported features through an extension the user has enabled. | An enabled extension may receive requests for the features it supports; the handling depends on that extension. |
Apple’s disclosure does not make these routes interchangeable: the purpose, information flow, and applicable safeguards differ. Check the details for the particular feature rather than assuming that every off-device request is a PCC request.
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What Apple says it may collect
Operational information about PCC and Private Information Retrieval
Apple says it may collect approximate request and response size, which feature was used, and how long processing took for PCC and Private Information Retrieval activity. Apple says this operational information excludes the request and response content and is not linked to the user’s Apple Account.
Device Analytics is a separate opt-in
If you opt in to Device Analytics, Apple says it may collect privacy-protected aggregate trends, including information about content processed by Apple Intelligence, to improve features. This is separate from the limited operational information Apple describes for PCC and Private Information Retrieval.
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How to check PCC requests on an iPhone
Apple provides an Apple Intelligence & PCC Report that can show requests sent off-device and processed by PCC, including requests originating from watchOS. On iPhone, Apple Support lists report windows of 15 minutes or seven days. The report can be empty if no PCC request occurred during the period you selected.
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- Find Apple Intelligence & PCC Report, enable it, and select a reporting period.
- Return to the report to review activity, or use the available export option to save it.
The report is scoped to PCC activity; it is not a complete log of every on-device operation, web Search, Private Information Retrieval action, or extension request. Apple’s iPhone guidance is in Apple Intelligence and privacy on iPhone.
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Eligibility and availability
Apple Support lists iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPhone 16 models or later for Apple Intelligence on iOS 27 or later. Availability also depends on software, language, and region, and Apple notes that some server-backed features have daily limits. These requirements and limits can change; consult Apple’s current iPhone availability and privacy guidance for your location and software version.
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